Small power amps

spev11

I’ve got a Mooer baby bomb which is great apart from the hair trigger volume control. It goes from nothing to ear bleeding if a butterfly passes with 15 feet. I’m putting it in a little box with my pod express for a travelling about rig. I could fit a volume knob between the pod and the bomb but it’s another box. 

I’m contemplating an EHX 5mm ( as it’s 2.5 watt I’d image the pot is a bit more controlled, and it runs from 9v so one little power supply or even battery pack). I don’t need masses of power for this but more controlled volume is a must.
any ideas. Just get the 5mm ? Try a different pot? Mod the baby bomb into a slightly larger enclosure and fit a pre volume ?

ElectricXII

I had the EHX 22 Caliber as my backup amp, and the volume was very controlable, so I'd guess the 5mm will be similar. However the 22 was dark sounding and a bit noisy. My backup is now an Orange Terror Stamp.

Exorcist

I use a warwick gnome, 200 watt bass amp - you can set the controls for a level EQ for guitar (bas treble at 9:00 middle at 3:00), I use it with a tonex pedal and it can go from deafeningly loud at the studio through a 4 x 12 to very quite at home through a single 1 x 12. not as small as a pedal, but small enough to go on my pedalboard, or in the pouch of a gigbag. The TC BAM200 is a similar thing, its absolutely been a revelation. Oh, and its about £130 new

Grumpyrocker

I've got the 5mm. It'll run off anything that'd power a regular 9v pedal. I've run it from a daisy chain, a PSU, and a power pack. And although it does get quite loud early on in the journey around the volume sweep, it's perfectly tameable and works well at home volumes. 

Littlejonny

I’m interested in this as well. Was going to buy the Harley Benton 100 watt thingy but I’ve read some very damning reviews on here from @digitalscream and others. 

It’s got to be fairly cheap or I might as well buy a second hand Fender Deluxe Reverb TM…I will basically use one clean sound and everything else will be pedals in front. 

Was considering the baby bomb but perhaps this TCBAM would work better. I’m a bit afraid of hating the class D feel, and don’t want to end up with an expensive paperweight. 

andy_k

If it is just for home volumes, maybe try a small headphone amp, I picked up a £11.99 battery powered BT thing to experiment with.
Have it plugged into a 60 watt 12 inch cab, 8 ohm. I didn't expect much, and the spec on it is for headphones, so 16 ohm and up, but it is plenty loud enough at half volume, fed by a Tonex one, runs for a couple of hours on battery - but works plugged into a phone powerbank, which also powers the Tonex.
Was just an experiment to see if it would work, which it does quite well actually.

Wazmeister

spev11 said:

I’ve got a Mooer baby bomb which is great apart from the hair trigger volume control. It goes from nothing to ear bleeding if a butterfly passes with 15 feet. I’m putting it in a little box with my pod express for a travelling about rig. I could fit a volume knob between the pod and the bomb but it’s another box. 

I’m contemplating an EHX 5mm ( as it’s 2.5 watt I’d image the pot is a bit more controlled, and it runs from 9v so one little power supply or even battery pack). I don’t need masses of power for this but more controlled volume is a must.
any ideas. Just get the 5mm ? Try a different pot? Mod the baby bomb into a slightly larger enclosure and fit a pre volume ?

Put a rubber gromet/washer under the volume control on the Mooer.

Littlejonny

Mooer Baby Bomb
EHX Magnum
SD Powerstage
Quilter
Harley Benton (multiple options)
Foxgear
Laney Foundry
Orange Terror Stamp, Pedal Baby
Valeton mini head
TC BAM 200 mini bass head
Crate Powerblock

…I’m sure there are many more but anyway, how do I decide? I’m really struggling. It does make me want to sack it off and spend the money on a Fender TMDR. But that’s essentially a modeller into a class D with a speaker. 

Littlejonny

Blackstar Amped series
Bluguitar

Beexter

Littlejonny said:

Mooer Baby Bomb
EHX Magnum
SD Powerstage
Quilter
Harley Benton (multiple options)
Foxgear
Laney Foundry
Orange Terror Stamp, Pedal Baby
Valeton mini head
TC BAM 200 mini bass head
Crate Powerblock

…I’m sure there are many more but anyway, how do I decide? I’m really struggling. It does make me want to sack it off and spend the money on a Fender TMDR. But that’s essentially a modeller into a class D with a speaker. 

In your earlier post, you mentioned cheap. That instantly rules out an SD Power stage and quilter. The Harley Benton equivalent of the SD needs a line level signal so bear that in mind. It's probably the cheapest option to see if a power amp/ cab set up will work for you though.

Littlejonny

Beexter said:

Littlejonny said:

Mooer Baby Bomb
EHX Magnum
SD Powerstage
Quilter
Harley Benton (multiple options)
Foxgear
Laney Foundry
Orange Terror Stamp, Pedal Baby
Valeton mini head
TC BAM 200 mini bass head
Crate Powerblock

…I’m sure there are many more but anyway, how do I decide? I’m really struggling. It does make me want to sack it off and spend the money on a Fender TMDR. But that’s essentially a modeller into a class D with a speaker. 

In your earlier post, you mentioned cheap. That instantly rules out an SD Power stage and quilter. The Harley Benton equivalent of the SD needs a line level signal so bear that in mind. It's probably the cheapest option to see if a power amp/ cab set up will work for you though.

Does that mean you need a DI box before it?

spev11

I’m going to persevere with the baby bomb for a little while until I get ultimately frustrated with it 
while that’s happening I’ll jam an o-ring under the knob and keep my eyes peeled for an alternative solution. Maybe a FRFR of some kind, it doesn’t need to be huge either so I may build something.
 I do wonder if there are plans for a tube power section out there? ( for no other reason than I like building stuff)
or, along the lines of the bass amp solution above, a small bass combo with an effects loop. I have this idea that a bass amp has more clean headroom than a guitar amp ( I’m probably wrong)

Littlejonny

Exorcist said:

I use a warwick gnome, 200 watt bass amp - you can set the controls for a level EQ for guitar (bas treble at 9:00 middle at 3:00), I use it with a tonex pedal and it can go from deafeningly loud at the studio through a 4 x 12 to very quite at home through a single 1 x 12. not as small as a pedal, but small enough to go on my pedalboard, or in the pouch of a gigbag. The TC BAM200 is a similar thing, its absolutely been a revelation. Oh, and its about £130 new

Sorry to hijack the thread somewhat - it’s just I’m looking for a similar thing - @Exorcist re the Warwick Gnome - have you tried a BAM200? What’s your point of reference? Would I be satisfied looking for a big clean sound a la Fender Twin?

spev11

Littlejonny said:

Exorcist said:

I use a warwick gnome, 200 watt bass amp - you can set the controls for a level EQ for guitar (bas treble at 9:00 middle at 3:00), I use it with a tonex pedal and it can go from deafeningly loud at the studio through a 4 x 12 to very quite at home through a single 1 x 12. not as small as a pedal, but small enough to go on my pedalboard, or in the pouch of a gigbag. The TC BAM200 is a similar thing, its absolutely been a revelation. Oh, and its about £130 new

Sorry to hijack the thread somewhat - it’s just I’m looking for a similar thing - @Exorcist re the Warwick Gnome - have you tried a BAM200? What’s your point of reference? Would I be satisfied looking for a big clean sound a la Fender Twin?

hijack away, its all good info
Ive just put a bid on a Tech21 Power Engine cab , if i win that it could be a decent solution

nero1701

I have one of those Harley Benton GPA 100 power amps, worked perfectly well, silent and amplified my FM3 very well.

I'm going to list it for sale @ £50 plus a fiver to cover post.

Littlejonny

nero1701 said:

I have one of those Harley Benton GPA 100 power amps, worked perfectly well, silent and amplified my FM3 very well.

I'm going to list it for sale @ £50 plus a fiver to cover post.

I’ve been put off the GPA rightly or wrongly by some of the stuff I’ve read. I’m going for either the BAM200 or the Warwick Gnome. I read somewhere that the Gnome has a built in compression circuit, which I think will be a plus feel wise. 

spev11

Dunno if this helps at all
https://www.cashconverters.co.uk/shop/music-tv--video/musical-instruments/accessories--spare-parts/guitar-accessories/044800125803
its not a mega bargain but its cheaper than a new one

Beexter

Littlejonny said:

Beexter said:

Littlejonny said:

Mooer Baby Bomb
EHX Magnum
SD Powerstage
Quilter
Harley Benton (multiple options)
Foxgear
Laney Foundry
Orange Terror Stamp, Pedal Baby
Valeton mini head
TC BAM 200 mini bass head
Crate Powerblock

…I’m sure there are many more but anyway, how do I decide? I’m really struggling. It does make me want to sack it off and spend the money on a Fender TMDR. But that’s essentially a modeller into a class D with a speaker. 

In your earlier post, you mentioned cheap. That instantly rules out an SD Power stage and quilter. The Harley Benton equivalent of the SD needs a line level signal so bear that in mind. It's probably the cheapest option to see if a power amp/ cab set up will work for you though.

Does that mean you need a DI box before it?

Not necessarily. If you're using a modeller, you can usually set the output of the modeller to Line level or instrument level. The GPA needs line level if you want giggable volume out of it.

spev11

@Littlejonny ive picked up the Tech21powercab60 and its fab. If you want to borrow my Mooer Baby Bomb to try out send me your address (pm it) and i'll shove it in a box. If it suites we can work something out or you can send it back ok.

Littlejonny

spev11 said:

@Littlejonny ive picked up the Tech21powercab60 and it’s fab. If you want to borrow my Mooer Baby Bomb to try out send me your address (pm it) and i'll shove it in a box. If it suites we can work something out or you can send it back ok.

I’ve literally just ordered a TC BAM200. Thanks for the kind offer though. 

I’ll check out the powercab 60…

Whistler

Littlejonny said:

I’ve literally just ordered a TC BAM200.

Well done and welcome to the BAM200 owners' club. I took the second photo below to show someone quite how small it is. I bought mine for bass, usually going DI to the desk, but I find it suits my ES-335 type guitar with flatwound strings for a lovely jazz sound and my solidbody PRS for everyday sounds. I hope you will be as happy with yours as I am with mine.